Boiler feed-water regulator.



H. K. GOWDY.

BOILBR FEED WATER REGULATOR.

APPLIOATION FILED MAB. 28, 1910. 1 ,037,240. Patented Sept. 3, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

mwN.

Mmm

COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH co., WASHINGTON. D. c.

H. K. GOWDY.

BOILBR FEED WATER REGULATOR.

APPLIUATION FILED 11.111.211, 1910.

Patented. sept. 3, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

AC'M 11.11.1111....

@gw/ZM MGM.,

COLUMBIA PLANnRAPM c0..wAsH|NTON, D. C.

HAROLD K. GOWDY, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

BOILER FEED-WATER REGULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 3, 1912.

Application filed March 28, 1910. Serial No. 551,936.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HAROLD K. GowDY, resident of Pittsburgh, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Boiler Feed-Water Regulator, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact `description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which-a Figures 1 and 2 are sectional elevations partially diagrammatic, illustrating two different embodiments of my invention.

My invention has relation to boiler feed water regulators, and is designed to provide apparatus of this character which is simple in its construction and arrangement, efficient in its operation, and which obviates the necessity for the use of floats.

The nature of my invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which I have shown two different embodiments thereof, which will now be described, it being premised, however, that various changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of the parts by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit andI scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

Referring first to the form of my invention shown in Fig. 1, the numeral 2 designates a boiler, or boiler drum, which is supplied with water by means of a feed pipe 3 extending through a feed valve 4. This valve may be of any suitable or well known character. I have shown a double-balanced valve of well known form. The stem 5 of this valve extends upwardly into a diaphragm chamber 6, in which it is connected to a diaphragm 7 extending transversely across the chamber. Seated upon the upper side of the diaphragm is a spring 8, which extends upwardly within an extension 9 of the diaphragm casing, and is provided with a tension adjusting screw or other device 10. The valve stem 5 passes through the two stuliing boxes 11 in the lower portion of the diaphragm casing.

12 is a pipe, which extends through the upper portion of the shell of the boiler drum and downwardly within the drum to the desired water level. Connected to the upper end of this pipe is a horizontal pipe 13, which is connected at its opposite end to a chambered tting lll. Extending downwardly from the bottom of this fitting is a vertical pipe 15, which is connected by a pipe 16 with the diaphragm chamber above the diaphragm. The extended lower end of the pipe 15 is connected with the water space of the boiler, as shown at 17. Connected with the 'fitting 14C above the point of connection of the pipe 13 is a horizontal pipe 18, which, at its opposite end is connected with a vertical pipe 19, whose lower end leads into the diaphragm chamber below the diaphragm.

20 designates a cut-olf valve located in the e pipe 12, and 21 is a similar valve, which is located in the connection between the lower end of the pipe 15 and the water space of the boiler. 22 is a check valve placed in the `last named connection, and which may or may not be employed, as may be desired. I prefer, however, to employ this valve, since without it, if the boiler surges or foams as is often the case, the water leg 15 might become filled when the water level of the boiler is below the desired level.

23 is a pet cock connected to the fitting 14 for the purpose of allowing the air to escape from the pipe system in starting the operation of the boiler and regulator.

The operation of the parts just described is as follows: The diaphragm chamber is kept constantly filled with water upon both sides of the diaphragm, and the vertical pipe 19 is also filled with a column of water. To insure the retention of water in the upper portion of the diaphragm chamber, the plpe connection 16 is preferably provided with a bend or trap 16a. When the water in the boiler is below the water level, the lower end of the pipe 12 is open and the pipes 12, 13, 15 and 18 are filled with steam. The under side of the diaphragm will, therefore, be subjected to the steam pressure of the boiler plus the pressure of the column of water `in the vertical pipe 19. `The upper side of the diaphragm will be subjected only to the pressure of steam in the `boiler' acting throughthe water in the upper portion of sures upon both sides, the heights of the ver- "tical pipe 15 being equal to the height of the vertical pipe 19. The spring S then im` mediately acts upon the diaphragm to close the valve until such time as the water in the' lboiler falls below the water line.

as this'occurs, the water in the pipes 12, 13 and 18 returns to the boiler by gravity, and the water in the pipe 15 falls to the level of the water in the boiler; and the valve 4 is again opened by the excess of pressure act.

ing on the under side of the diaphragm.

The returnconnection 17 may terminate at the points shown at full lines in Fig. 1, or it may be extended as shown in dotted lines through the water-circulating baffle 2a.. The direction of circulation of water within this bafiie `is in the direction of the arrow, and this will facilitate somewhat the return of water from the pipe system into the boiler.

The embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 2 is similar to that shown in Fig. 1, i except that the pipe connections instead of being made directlv with the steam and water spaces of thev boiler drum, are made with the steam and water spaces respec` tively of a water column 24, which is connected with the boiler in the usual mannenl The various pipes shown in this ligure are dition of the letter a. By making the connections with the water column instead of directly with the water drum, I avoid the'1 necessity for forming additional holes for the connections in the shell of the drum.

manner before described.

The apparatus described forms a simpleg and efficient feed water regulator, which can be relied upon to-maintain the water level height communicating with said chamber of the boiler at the desired point.

The apparatus isl simplein its construetion and mode of operation, and obviates the g use of expansion tubes or of floats and float connections: By keeping the diaphragm As soon In this form of my invention, I have omitted the spring 8, and employ instead a weightv lever 25 connected to the stem 5a of the valve 4. This weight lever acts in precisely thef same manner as the spring, to close the valve i when the pressure at opposite sides of the"` diaphragm. is otherwise balanced in the,

chamber lled with water constantly from both sides of the diaphragm, the diaphragm is protected from contact with the steam, and its life is greatly extended. I may pro- Vvide a screw 26 or 26e, orV other suitable means arrangedto engage the lower end of the valve 4 or lla, and providing means for manually opening said valve, if for any rea- .son the apparatus should fail to operate automatically.

It will be understood that wherever in the claims I refer to connections with the water and steam spaces of the boiler, this is to be understood as referring either to direct connections such as shown in Fig. 1, or to indirect connections through a water column, as shown in Fig. 2.

Vhat I claim is z- 1. In a boiler feed regulator, a feed valve, a ld-iaphragm to which the valve is connected, a chamber containing the diaphragm, water legs of substantially equal height communicating with said chamber at opposite sides of the diaphragm, one of said legs having a constant height of water there' in to act upon the diaphragm to hold the valve open, and the other leg being normally empty, a passage connecting the otlier of said legs with the water space of the boiler and arranged to be sealed by the rise of water in the boiler, and auxiliary means connected to the valve and tending to close it, and a return or discharge connection between the normally empty leg and the water space of the boiler; substantially as described.

2. In a boiler feed regulator, a feed valve, a diaphragm to which the valve is connected, a chamber containing the diaphragm, water legs of substantially equal height communieating with said chamber at opposite sides of the diaphragm, one of said legs yhaving' a constant height of water therein to act the boiler, together with an equalizing connection between the upper portions of the two water legs; substantially as described. 3. Ina boiler feed regulator, a feed valve,

a diaphragm to which the valve is conj nected, a chamber containing the diaphragm, water legs of substantially-` equal at opposite sides of the diaphragm, one of said legs having a constant height of water l mally empty, a passage connecting the other valve in such return or discharge conneco said legs With the Water space of the tion; substantially as described. 10 boiler and arranged to be sealed by the rise In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set ci Water in the boiler, and auxiliary means my hand.

' connected to the Valve and tending to close HAROLD K. GOWDY.

it, and a return or discharge connection be- Witnesses: tween the normally empty leg and the Water H. M. CORWIN, space of the boiler, together with a check Y GEO. H. PARMELEE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

